Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge is a 2088acre National Wildlife Refuge situated along the banks of the Rio Grande river, south of Alamo in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, in Hidalgo County, South Texas.The wildlife refuge was established for the protection of migratory birds in 1943. Its unique location is at the meeting of different climates and habitats: subtropical wetlands, Chihuahuan Desert, Gulf Coast, and Great Plains. Its riparian location has developed a reputation for diverse birding.FaunaNotable species among the fauna in the refuge include the Texas ocelot (Leopardus pardalis albescens) and Gulf Coast jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi cacomitli) feline species.Both species are listed as endangered in the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as Amended. The Texas ocelot is listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix I and the Gulf Coast jaguarundi (seen at left) is listed in the CITES Appendix II.